Martin Luther King, Jr., left, walks with Bayard Rustin in this 1956 photo. Rustin was King’s mentor and was the architect of King’s 1963 March on Washington. Photo: Associated Press

Bayard Rustin, a leader of the civil rights movement, mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and chief organizer of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, struggled much of his life against racism and homophobia.

Openly gay, he remained in the background for the sake of the movement, only to be sacrificed by its leaders as a political liability. Nevertheless, Rustin made crucial contributions to the civil rights movement and emerged as a gay rights activist.

Here is a copy of a 2003 article I wrote on Rustin. It was tied to the 40th anniversary of the March on Washington.

By Phillip Zonkel
Staff Writer

BAYARD RUSTIN had a dream.

As a tireless and pioneering crusader for civil rights, social justice and economic equality, his life rested on the bedrock conviction that ordinary people could change the world.

Rustin also practiced what he preached – He helped create the civil rights movement, mentored Martin Luther King, Jr. on the practice of nonviolent protest and was the architect of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom, which took place 40 years ago today.

However, Rustin was openly gay and deemed a political liability. Many advisers in the civil rights movement told him to sit at the back of the bus.

Dan Rafferty is a volunteer at St. Mary Medical Center family food bank for the C.A.R.E. Program . Providing food twice a month for families with children under the age of 21, in which at least one household member is infected with HIV/AIDS. (Stephen Carr / Staff Photographer)

But he anticipates changes in the program that could result in more work and the need for more volunteers.

C.A.R.E., or Comprehensive AIDS Resource & Education, is a program that has continuously provided specialized care for people with HIV and AIDS, regardless of their ability to pay. The program is one among the many tasks of the St. Mary Medical Center auxiliary volunteers, which number about 250.

Editor’s note: The initial story we posted yesterday incorrectly said the Campus Pride Index gave accolades to the university for its Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Campus Climate and Safe Zone Training. The committee was described in the report as “evidence of CSULB’s commitment to LGBT issues.” That information came from CSULB.

LONG BEACH – Despite being located in a city perceived as being gay friendly, Cal State Long Beach received sluggish marks in an influential report that rates how friendly colleges and universities are to LGBT students, faculty and administrators.

CSULB received a mediocre 2.5 out of 5 stars in eight categories on the Campus Pride Index, a ranking by a national nonprofit of student leaders, faculty and campus groups working to create safer, more LGBT-friendly environments.

Cal State Long Beach has received mixed reviews in a report that rates colleges and universities as LGBT friendly.

The Campus Pride Index, which is released by Campus Pride, gave accolades to the university for its Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Campus Climate and Safe Zone Training. The committee was described in the report as “evidence of CSULB’s commitment to LGBT issues.”